<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>this love will keep us through the blinding of the eyes by babydotcom</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30131550">this love will keep us through the blinding of the eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/babydotcom/pseuds/babydotcom'>babydotcom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Chronic Pain, Communication, Domestic, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, QPOC author, Recovery, Sokka (Avatar) Has Chronic Pain, Surgery, Title from a Frank Ocean Song, Zukka Week 2021, Zuko (Avatar) Has Chronic Pain, i still don't know how to tag tbh, teen and up for language and medical description just to be safe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 16:32:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30131550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/babydotcom/pseuds/babydotcom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko's damaged eye is causing more and more problems for him lately, and having it removed is his only good option. Sokka's going to be there for him through it all.</p><p> </p><p>  <strong>ZUKKA WEEK: DAY SIX, MARCH 19th</strong><br/>Disability or Chronic Pain- Centric /// Hurt/Comfort</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iroh &amp; Sokka (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>194</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>this love will keep us through the blinding of the eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>CW for hospital scenes, eye surgery/removal, surgical recovery, description of wound/empty eye socket, and brief mention of child abuse (because it's Zuko).<br/>Any opinions expressed by the characters about the look of Zuko's scar/eye/wound are solely written in the POV of those characters, please tell me if any of it makes someone uncomfortable!! It's not my intention to pass judgement.</p><p>Title from 'Godspeed' by Frank Ocean</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sokka looks up from his work at the kitchen table when he hears the front door open and shut, knowing Zuko must be home from his appointment with the ophthalmologist.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, honey! I’m in the kitchen. How did your appointment go?” He knows by the way Zuko’s kicking his shoes off by the door and his lack of response that it couldn’t have gone well, and he braces for a long few hours of worrying. Zuko finally appears around the wall separating the kitchen from the living room, and Sokka can see that he’s upset, good eye red-rimmed and wet. His stomach drops.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t want to talk about it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko hums a </span>
  <em>
    <span>nuh-uh</span>
  </em>
  <span> as he rounds the table and wraps Sokka in a hug from behind, and Sokka reaches up to hold onto his arms where they squeeze tightly around his shoulders. Sokka feels Zuko press a kiss to the top of his head and breathe into his hair before righting himself and slipping away into their bedroom. After seven years together Sokka knows that’s the signal for </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m upset and I need a second, but I promise I’ll talk when I’m ready</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It doesn’t make the actual waiting any easier, but he’s glad to have the reassurance and that they’ve been able to get past that particular roadblock in their communication. They like to take care of each other, but it had taken them a long time to figure that out. Lots of suffering in silence and feeling rejected at the beginning of their relationship coming from both sides.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So Sokka continues working, although much less focused this time, until dinner time comes around and he orders them food from Zuko’s favorite Thai place down the street. Over dinner they almost exclusively talk about Sokka’s current project at work, and they watch a movie before Zuko goes to bed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, so it’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>really</span>
  <em>
    <span> bad this time,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sokka thinks. He slips into bed, curling against Zuko's back, and presses a kiss into the back of his neck. He hopes it conveys </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m here whenever you’re ready</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the morning, Sokka is awake before Zuko. Or at least, he's out of bed first, but he knows Zuko's probably been mostly conscious for a few hours. This was a new phenomena, once rare but now becoming more and more common. Zuko was naturally a morning person where Sokka wasn't, and at most Sokka would have woken up </span>
  <em>
    <span>with</span>
  </em>
  <span> him while grumbling until they could fumble their way into a cup of coffee each. More often now, though, Sokka would wake and turn over to find Zuko curled into himself on his left side, face scrunched and pressed hard into his pillow. That's typically how Sokka knew it was going to be a bad day.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko had divulged, about a year into their relationship and during one of Sokka's flare ups in his leg, that he dealt with chronic pain in his eye and under his scar. His flare ups were far more random than Sokka's, which could be predicted by changes in the weather or any unusual surge in movement.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>In the past eight months or so, the flare ups had gotten worse, and more frequent, particularly in his eye. They would often take him out of work for the entire day, and he'd probably have lost his job if Uncle wasn’t his boss. Anyone else would have fired a tea shop employee who would call in sick three days in a row.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sokka leans over to press a kiss to Zuko's right temple before he gets out of bed. He pulls on a pair of sweatpants as he makes his way to the bathroom, and then on to the kitchen to start a kettle boiling. He pours himself a cup of yesterday's coffee that he heats in the microwave to gulp down before the kettle starts to whistle. He pulls it off before it can get too loud and sets about preparing jasmine tea, Zuko's favorite. They'd tried teas that allegedly helped with inflammation, but hadn't found them helpful. Now Zuko just preferred that they skip it in favor of better flavors.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He prepared the tea just how Uncle and Zuko had taught him, and even though Zuko thought all of the steps were tedious and would often just dump everything in the pot, Sokka preened under Uncle's praise and was resolved to make it traditionally every time. While the leaves steeped, Sokka quietly made his way to their medicine cabinet to grab some painkillers-- even though they mostly didn't help Zuko anymore-- and pulled a cold compress out of the freezer and wrapped it in one of their kitchen towels.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It was routine, now, for Sokka to balance the compress on top of his head so he could hold a cup in each hand, palming the pills in one. The next step is to tiptoe back into their room and set the tea, water, and pills on the nightstand before sitting beside Zuko and rubbing slow circles across his back.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Honey? Roll over for me, please." It takes a minute, it always does, but eventually Zuko follows his instructions. His eyes are still closed and his expression still pinched, but he hums when Sokka lays the compress against his left eye. It is also routine when, minutes later, Sokka hands him the glass of water and his painkillers, and he sits up just enough to take them. The water is replaced with the tea and Sokka rubs a warm hand over Zuko's side as he sips on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sit together like this until Zuko finishes his tea, and Sokka takes the cup from him and leaves to rebrew more for him in between parts of his regiment to get ready for work. It's done steeping in time for when Sokka has to get dressed, so he refills Zuko's cup and makes his way back into their bedroom. This next part isn't routine, though; Zuko's sitting up against the headboard when Sokka returns, where he would usually be laying down again with the compress against his face.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I can talk about it now, if you want." His voice is raspier than usual, still a little thick with sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I'd love that, thank you."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>So Sokka hands him the cup and crawls up the bed to sit next to him against the headboard. Zuko takes a sip and reaches out for Sokka's hand before he starts talking. "Doctor Pathik thinks we should have it removed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Enucleation</span>
  </em>
  <span> is a common treatment for phthisis bulbi, he said. He could get me in sometime next month." His tone is cold, practically clinical.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, not </span>
  </em>
  <span>so</span>
  <em>
    <span> bad. At least it's a solution</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"And he said it would help?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean, yeah. It's degenerative-- they call it ‘end-stage eye’ for a reason. It's only going to get worse, and I already can't see out of it hardly at all anyway."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"But I mean the pain, that would fix it, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"My eye can't </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span> if it's not in my fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>head</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Sokka." Bitter, angry. Sokka knows Zuko didn't mean to snap at him by the way he squeezes Sokka's hand.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, dumb question." He looks at the side of Zuko's face, scowl deepened on this side by the tightness of the scar. He pulls their entwined hands up to kiss Zuko's knuckles, and the tenseness of his shoulders dissipates slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"So what are you thinking?" Zuko sighs deeply and takes a sip of his tea.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't really have another option, do I? I can't keep skipping work and trying to deal. It's getting to be too much."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I know." Sokka leans into his boyfriend and lolls his head onto his shoulder. He can’t decide what to say next. He doesn’t think Zuko’s too deep in his depression spiral just yet, so he goes for a joke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> "You wanna know the bright side of this though, besides feeling better?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Hm, sure."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"We can probably get you a really funky glass eye. Like, imagine you with a gold eye! Or purple, or green…oh! We could really play into your whole scary punk-rock thing and get a red one!"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Despite his best efforts to lighten the mood, Sokka knows Zuko's laughter isn't genuine. They're quiet for a long time, and Zuko's obviously turning something over in his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Talk to me. What's goin' on in that pretty head of yours?" Zuko's lips twitch up a little, and Sokka presses a kiss to his scarred temple.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"It's just…I mean, I know the bad eye isn't nice to look at, but once it's gone it's just gonna be an empty socket, at least for a few weeks until I can get a prosthetic. It's gonna be gross. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm</span>
  </em>
  <span> gonna be gross."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko had always been hard on himself about the scar and the eye, and Sokka had learned the hard way not to try and convince him that they were part of what made him beautiful. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don't lie to me. I </span>
  </em>
  <span>know</span>
  <em>
    <span> it's hard to look at, Sokka, I don't need to be coddled.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sokka settles for a compromise. "Maybe. But you won't be in as much pain. And </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm</span>
  </em>
  <span> still gonna think the rest of you is insanely pretty."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Shut up." They sit together in comfortable silence while Zuko sips on his tea.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"How are you feeling now?" Zuko sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Not good, honestly."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to wallow in bed with me? I can call out of work."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko's already slipping back down under the covers before Sokka's even done talking, so Sokka goes and calls Piandao quickly before he's cuddling up against Zuko's back. They stay together for another few hours, with quick bathroom breaks and trading of cold compresses every now and again, before Sokka has to go stim lest he go crazy. He leaves his boyfriend with a kiss on his cheek and a love confession. It was so nice when Zuko would just let Sokka take care of him when he needed it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If only he’d let me do it more often.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They'd each had their fair share of medical trauma in the past-- though a compound leg fracture from hiking with your kid sister and her friends was literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span> compared to spending two weeks in the hospital after your father burned and broke your face for </span>
  <em>
    <span>missing your mom on your birthday</span>
  </em>
  <span>-- so sitting in the pre-op wing of the hospital was uncomfortable for both of them. Sokka was putting on a brave face for Zuko even though his stomach flooded with dread every time a nurse walked by. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You're fine, Zuko's gonna be fine, everything is fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko, however, looked cool as a cucumber. They sat hip to hip on Zuko's bed while they waited for the nurses to take him to the operating room, and Zuko was already hooked up to an IV pumping him full of medication.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I get a hit of that?" Sokka jokes, and thankfully Zuko shows him some mercy and actually laughs, despite the nerves shining through in Sokka’s tone.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think that's allowed, sweetheart. I'm gonna be fine, you know." If it sounds like Zuko is saying the last part more for himself than his boyfriend, Sokka doesn't comment on it.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I know you'll be fine. Hospitals just freak me out, is all. I'd be better if you weren't hogging all the loopy juice." Zuko snorts at that, and bumps his shoulder into Sokka's as he squeezes his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll ask if they can bring you my leftovers." He lays his head down against Sokka's shoulder, and the blue surgical cap he was wearing tickled Sokka's chin. (He had pretended to be mad when Sokka took a selfie with him after the surgical team got him all dolled up, but really what was he expecting.)</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm scared." Sokka squeezes his hand since he can't look him in the eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, honey." He lays his cheek against the top of Zuko's head. "I'm scared too. This is gonna be good for you, though. It'll be okay." Zuko just sighs in response, and they sit together in silence for the final few minutes before a couple of nurses show up to haul Zuko away. One of them pulls the curtain open and smiles at the couple.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, Zuko. Are you ready?" asks the nurse, Song. Sokka's heart drops into his feet when he realizes it's time, but he tries to quell the racing of his heart when he sees panic in Zuko's eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Give us like </span>
  <em>
    <span>two</span>
  </em>
  <span> seconds." Sokka says, and then kisses Zuko like doing so could imbue him with every ounce of confidence he has. Then he presses kisses to every inch of his face, starting with his left eyelid and then his right, and Zuko giggles. Sokka finally lands back at his mouth with a tender kiss that </span>
  <em>
    <span>has</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be lasting too long, because the nurse coughs lightly where she's stationed at Zuko's right side with her hand on the brake release.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sokka pulls away and apologizes to Song, and says to Zuko, "You're gonna do so amazing. I love you so </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> much."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you more," and then Sokka is hopping off of the bed so they can get it rolling away down the hall. Sokka walks with them as long as he can, squeezing Zuko's hand in his. He finally gets the word to split off with one of the nurses to go to the waiting room, and he gives Zuko a goodbye kunik. Zuko returns the gesture, all but crushing his nose into Sokka's cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"You behave in there, or else I'm not making that risotto you like ever again."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Song hides a giggle in her hand and Zuko sticks his tongue out at him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Eye, </span>
  <em>
    <span>eye</span>
  </em>
  <span>, captain," Zuko gives him a mock salute, and then points at his bad eye like he didn't think Sokka would get his (incredibly stupid) pun. Sokka's too proud of him for trying to even think about making fun of him, so he just laughs and waves as Zuko continues down the hall. Zuko even turns around in his bed to blow him a kiss, and Sokka's sure it's gotta be the drugs making him act so silly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How cute</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The nurse leads him to the waiting room and he finally lets the pretenses drop once he's sitting down. His leg aches a little, probably a psychosomatic reaction from the anxiety of being back in a hospital and unable to do anything to make sure Zuko's safe. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows</span>
  </em>
  <span> that he'll be fine, because Doctor Pathik is really good at his job (he'd read all the reviews) and the procedure was relatively simple (according to his extensive research), but having to sit and wait was going to drive him crazy.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He calls Iroh as soon as he can calm down enough that his voice doesn’t shake. He picks up on the second ring.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello, Sokka! How is everything going?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"It's going good. They took him back about twenty minutes ago, and he should be out by nine."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Good, good. How are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> doing, dear boy?" Iroh's voice is gentle and warm, as always. Sokka appreciates that his concern is never overbearing.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I've been better, honestly. I know it's for the best and everything but it still makes me nervous. Don't want anything bad to happen and I'm not there, y'know?" He shoves his fingers into his hair only to get trapped in his wolf tail, so he yanks the tie free and shakes it out. Iroh chuckles softly.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I understand your troubles, young man. But you know, I can't express how happy it makes me that my nephew has such a caring partner. You help him more than you know."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sokka blushes and doesn't know what to say, so he just thanks him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Do me a favor, Sokka, and call me once you are home safely. I have a pot of hōtō for you boys. Zuko's favorite!"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you Uncle, I will. I love you."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you too, dear boy. Don't worry yourself sick or I will have to come take care of both of you! I will talk to you soon."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He texts the groupchat to update everyone at once, except Mai, who’d left as soon as she got added to the chat. He trusted that Ty Lee would pass on the message, but he texts Azula directly (she hadn’t been invited in the first place) to be nice. She tolerated Sokka at the best of times, so Sokka hadn’t expected any more than the “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he received in response. He doesn’t bother with his dads at this point, but makes a mental note to call Hakoda later.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He spends the rest of his time sorting through emails and trying to get some work done before he takes his two weeks off, and his Ritalin pushes him through the remaining hour and a half before a nurse comes to take him to where Zuko's recovering.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He's asleep, still, with a thick patch of gauze-- a pressure dressing to keep the swelling down-- covering his left eye and most of that side of his face. Sokka talks briefly with Doctor Pathik, who explains that the surgery went well and runs through their recovery instructions again before leaving them be.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Half an hour later, Zuko finally rouses from the anesthesia, eye still closed against the fluorescence and his head lolling side to side. Sokka looks up from their entwined fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, honey," he murmurs. "How are you feeling?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Like shit." Sokka huffs a laugh, and leans forward to kiss his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span> much better. Doc says you did amazing in there."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"All I did was sleep, Sokka."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Aw, don't sell yourself short, my little superstar." Zuko smiles at that, but looks like he's halfway back unconscious. Sokka lets him go, so he's not stressing him out too much.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>For the next hour, nurses are in and out, checking on Zuko and getting Sokka through discharge paperwork before they can leave. Zuko's staying awake for longer periods of time now, good eye-- only eye-- shaded behind medical grade sunglasses (which Sokka </span>
  <em>
    <span>absolutely does not</span>
  </em>
  <span> take about a dozen pictures of him in), long enough for him to be transported in a wheelchair down to where Sokka's car is waiting for him. Getting him up to the apartment is a bit of a challenge, with Sokka having to support most of his body weight in the elevator while carrying a bag of prescriptions, but eventually he's able to settle him into bed against a throne of pillows.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm gonna call Uncle and let him know you're home. Do you want me to bring you some tea?" Zuko hums his response, so Sokka sets to it. While the tea steeps he texts the chat and Azula again to keep them in the loop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iroh arrives in under an hour with a pot full of soup. Zuko’s asleep when he gets there, so he goes into the bedroom for just a moment to smooth his hair and kiss his forehead. He tells Sokka how to heat up the soup for the best flavor and hugs Sokka goodbye, leaving him with instructions to call if they need anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They lay in bed together, Zuko napping intermittently while Sokka thumbs through a book. Sokka puts in headphones when the quiet starts to make him feel agitated, and puts the hōtō on the stove when Zuko thinks the post-anesthesia nausea has finally worn off. After their early dinner, Sokka reads to him-- Zuko’s not up to reading or watching anything yet-- until Zuko dozes off for the night around eight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka leaves him to play videogames in the living room and work out some of his energy after a whole day of sitting around doing nothing. His alarm goes off at midnight to give Zuko another round of painkillers, and after that they each fall back into sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Around noon the next day, Zuko’s walking around and feeling good enough that Sokka feels safe making fun of him for bumping into walls and asking him questions about the hallucinations he's having, like he’s still seeing through his left eye. Zuko’s even doing well enough </span>
</p><p>
  <span>to start complaining about the music Sokka’s playing in the kitchen while he reheats the hōtō.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just think that if I’m the one recovering from </span>
  <em>
    <span>life-altering surgery</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the least you could do is spare me the Madonna.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, first of all, this is Britney. Totally different people. Second of all, let’s not forget who’s taking care of you while you recover from your </span>
  <em>
    <span>life-altering surgery</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Captain Eye-Patch.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I pick the music.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I despise you, darling,” he says, kissing him on the cheek while he stirs the soup. Their front door opens and Aang’s voice calls out for Sokka.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You guys could have called!” Sokka says, already exasperated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aw, but then I couldn’t have surprised you with suaasat.” Katara appears carrying a massive steel pot and Aang trails behind her, holding a tupperware with wrapped bannock stacked on top of it at arm's length. Zuko gasps with excitement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No way,” Sokka exclaims. He abandons the hōtō on the stove and takes the pot from his sister to set it on the counter. The smell of his Gran Gran’s best recipe hits him as he lifts the lid and Zuko comes up to take a deep inhale over the pot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Spirits, Katara, that smells amazing.” Sokka had been surprised when Zuko actually liked the stew when he first tried it. Suaasat was generally an acquired taste for the uninitiated. “Where’d you get seal?” He turns his shaded eye on her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I got it special order from a Cree butcher in Quebec. I thought you’d like some after your surgery.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and now my whole house smells like death,” Aang gripes. He sets his cargo on the counter beside the pot. “I’m lucky she even let me keep some bannock.” She swats at his arm lightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Katara. This is amazing.” Katara wraps her arms around Zuko’s torso and he leans down to kiss the top of her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My pleasure. So, how’re you feeling?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Terminator, how’s it going?” Sokka slaps the back of Aang’s head but has to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. The comparison is there, with the sunglasses and all. Aang punches him back and gives Sokka the same shit-eating grin he’s had since he was twelve.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ow!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Idiots</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Anyway, I’m good. I was definitely expecting worse. Still kind of exhausted though.” It shows in the dark circle under his eye and the slump of his shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If things keep moving along like they are now, I should be off babysitting duty in no time at all!” Zuko scoffs and Sokka winks at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara and Aang don’t stay long after that, excusing themselves from invitations to stay for lunch after Zuko unleashes a jaw-cracking yawn and curls up onto the couch. They leave with hugs and Katara forces Sokka to promise he’ll call even though he insists Iroh’s already got them covered. “I don’t care, I have best-sister-ever priority status. Call me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They have suaasat with seal ribs and bannock for lunch, and nap until they have hōtō again for dinner. There’s enough of each pot left to last them another two or three days, at least, and Sokka’s just glad not to have to cook. Everything’s going off without a hitch until it comes time to take off Zuko’s pressure dressing later that evening.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Honey, I promise you it’s not going to be that bad.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re excused from your </span>
  <em>
    <span>babysitting duties</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I don’t want you to see it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve seen pictures online-- I already know what to expect, Zukes. And Doctor Pathik gave me orders to help you with your eye drops, so I’m going to have to see it anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, Sokka!” His arms are crossed tightly over his chest and he’s leaning back against the bathroom counter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to see it someday, unless this is your very elaborate and roundabout way of telling me you want to break up before that happens.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Spirits, Sokka. Don’t be so dramatic.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No really, Zuko. Should I pack up now? Then I never have to see your ooey-gooey eye socket even once!” And he’s kidding, mostly. He’s a little frustrated that Zuko still doesn’t trust him with this after all of the times they’d had this very conversation, but whatever, Zuko’s worth it. He regrets the jab a little when Zuko’s scowl deepens enough that the gauze shifts a bit with the movement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can you not be an asshole about this, please?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Zuko relaxes a little.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>sorry for calling you an asshole.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stand still for a few uncomfortable moments, staring at each other. Then, Zuko sighs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you hate it when I massage your leg on your bad days. I know it’s embarrassing for you, but you let me do it anyway because it helps you and I want to take care of you.” And it’s true. It took a long time for Sokka to accept that kind of attention from Zuko, but it almost always made him feel better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right. So you understand why I want to do this for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess so.” He opens his arms and Sokka folds his boyfriend into a hug. “I just don’t want to scare you away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not gonna happen,” he punctuates the promise with a kiss on the neck. “Besides, even if you did look like a total freak--” Zuko pokes him in the ribs-- “I’d still love you. Couldn’t stop loving you even if you </span>
  <em>
    <span>enucleated</span>
  </em>
  <span> my heart.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s not how that works.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whatever, you get my point.” He pulls back and turns down the dimmer switch so Zuko can take his sunglasses off. Sokka touches the edge of the gauze slightly and waits for the go ahead. Zuko nods, and Sokka starts to carefully peel away the medical tape. Zuko closes his good eye when the gauze finally comes off. So far, the only difference Sokka can see is the swelling and a bit of bruising under the scarred skin, the ball implant maintaining a similar shape behind his eyelids to the real eye, and he tells him so. Sokka kisses the lid of Zuko’s right eye, and then his mouth. “Show me,” he whispers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Zuko opens his eyes. And really it’s not that bad. Sokka had prepared himself to control his face like some monster would steal it if his expression changed, but it wasn’t necessary.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The old eye had been slowly shriveling, grey creeping over the brown of Zuko’s iris as it went, and Sokka knew Zuko had harder and harder of a time seeing out of it. He lays his hands against Zuko’s cheeks and smooths his thumbs over his cheekbones as he looks. This, at least, looks alive. The socket itself was red, swollen still from the trauma, and it flexed and bulged behind the clear plastic shell placed inside it as Zuko’s eye darted over Sokka’s face. Sokka didn’t necessarily find it pretty, and it would take getting used to, but he almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>preferred</span>
  </em>
  <span> it to the old eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko’s hands come up to grip Sokka’s arms, and he’s pulled out of his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it bad?” Zuko’s voice betrays how scared he is. Sokka knows he should be honest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think so. I can get used to it.” Sokka kisses his cheek. “You wanna look?” Hesitantly, Zuko nods his head, and Sokka turns him around to look in the mirror. He just stares, for a long, long time. He starts to tremble, but he holds in the tears until Sokka finishes wordlessly cleaning the socket for him and administering his medications for the night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In bed, Sokka holds him into his chest while Zuko sobs into his shirt. The sound of it makes Sokka’s heart ache, but he’s determined not to let Zuko see him crying. He wishes he could do something to fix this for him, but all he can do is tell him over and over how much he loves him and cradle his shuddering body in his arms until he cries himself to sleep. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> lose a part of himself after all, and Sokka can’t even imagine what that’s like.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the next few days they stick to a routine of tea, soup, sleep, and repeat. Most of the time Zuko clung to him like he was scared Sokka was going to leave, still, and Sokka made sure to hold on just as tightly, so Zuko knew he wouldn’t. They keep the lights off so Zuko doesn’t have to wear his sunglasses and can switch to his protective eyeglasses once the swelling goes away. Sokka tells him the glasses make him even more handsome, like a nerdy love interest in a romcom. Zuko just huffs at him. Slowly they can start watching movies again, and they’re halfway through Zuko’s comfort movie, the Music Man, when Zuko speaks up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s up? Need more tea?” Sokka’s already slinging an aching leg out of bed to go get it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There must be rain coming</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Zuko stops him with a hold on his arm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No! No, I just wanted to say thank you. For taking care of me, and all. You shouldn’t have to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want to.” Sokka resettles himself in bed, hauling Zuko up to hug against his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you do. I just hate to be a burden,” and Sokka almost laughs. They were both high-maintenance partners, with their trauma and pain and tempers. But over the years they’d learned how to be patient with each other. It was hard, sometimes, but Sokka knew good things never came easy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re worth the work it takes to love you, Zuko.” Zuko sits up to look at him, face soft and open in a way Sokka hasn’t seen in days. A tear escapes his right eye and Sokka wipes it away with his thumb. Zuko’s smiling at him like he lassoed the moon, and love blossoms in Sokka’s chest in the way it almost always does when he’s with Zuko.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you still wanna marry me?” Zuko’s probably joking right now, but of course Sokka already has an answer for him. They’d talked about it before, plenty of times, and Sokka was really just waiting for the right time for an elaborately-planned grand romantic gesture to give him the ring that sat in his nightstand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Now’s as good a time as any,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sokka thinks and he reaches over to pull the jewelry box from the drawer before he can think himself out of it. They both deserved a win.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure. But only if you’ll marry </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, too.” He opens the velvet top and pulls out the gold one of the set, and holds it up for Zuko to see. Zuko has a hand over his mouth and he’s blushing furiously, but he doesn’t say anything. Sokka starts talking out of nerves, heart racing. “I was going to do something more special, and probably get the gang to help me do something big for you, and of course you can say no, that’s absolutely fine, but-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko interrupts him by smushing his cheeks in his hands. “Don’t be stupid, Sokka. Of course, yes, I’ll marry you, sweetheart,” he exclaims, and they dissolve into a mess of happy tears and kisses and </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span>’s for what feels like hours. Sokka slides the gold ring onto Zuko’s finger, and Zuko does the same with the silver.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, honey?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, my darling fiance?” That’s enough to give Sokka butterflies all over again. He quells them, because this is important.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think we can have a pirate-themed wedding? We could get you an eyepatch. It would literally be perfect.” Zuko stiffens in his lap and narrows his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You just had to ruin a perfectly nice moment didn’t you?” Zuko pushes him away and crawls off of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aw, babe, come on! That was funny!” Zuko’s stalking out of the room, pretending to be annoyed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want a divorce!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If anyone knows more about the medicine in this story or what it's like dealing with chronic pain like this, and if I've gotten something wrong, please let me know and I'd be more than happy to change it! I did my best with the research but some of the info is hard to find.</p><p>I hope you enjoyed! You can find me on tumblr <a href="babydotcom.tumblr.com">here</a>. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>